Connections
by Hylian Monarch
Summary: Takes place a year after Twilight Princess. Ganondorf has mysteriously been revived and a strange prophecy is uncovered that foreshadows a great war that will be fought by Hylians and foreigners. Rated for language, violence, and alcohol references. R
1. Prologue

Connections

Summary: Takes place after Twilight Princess. Ganondorf has mysteriously been revived and a strange prophecy is uncovered that foreshadows a great war that will be fought by Hylians and foreigners. Rated for language, violence, and alcohol references

I do not own any of the Zelda characters. The non-Zelda characters are my own creations and may not be used without my permission.

Prologue

He pushed open the large doors at the entrance of his fortress. It had been around one hundred years since he came to this place called home. This time, however, he was all alone. The Gerudo had died out, unable to produce a male heir without him. The ones that didn't die moved out of the desert and Hyrule altogether. All that kept him company were the few remaining monsters that were left alive by the Hero.

The Hero. He thought back to the day he was defeated by the one wielding the Master Sword. _I was so foolish,_ he thought. _I focused my concentration on Midna, the Twilight Realm, and Hyrule, all the while forgetting about that boy, Link. He was dressed just like the Hero of Time, who also defeated me over a hundred years ago. His eyes were the same. He held the Triforce of Courage inside of him. I could sense it. Why did I not pay more attention to him!?_

As he fumed to himself, he came across an old book. Despite the book's age, the bindings on the pages still held strong. He traced his finger across the writing on the cover, then slowly opened it. He flipped through the book until he came to a certain page, reading it over a few times. He grinned wickedly, then scowled and narrowed his eyes.

"How was I revived?" he asked aloud, obviously not expecting an answer. "The other world…something happened there to cause this." He then grinned again. "This page explains it all. I never thought it would happen, but it did. Hero of Time…Princess of Destiny…you thought you could keep this from happening, but you thought wrong. Even in your graves, I'm sure you're churning in agony with the knowledge of what will soon happen." He chuckled deeply, which soon turned into a booming maniacal laughter that echoed throughout his fortress. He gathered energy into his hands as the wind began to pick up around him, causing his cape to beat wildly in the whirlwind of energy. He threw his hands into the air, releasing the energy, the Triforce of Power glowing brightly on the back of his right hand.

* * *

She sat in her throne, facing the knights of Hyrule, who stood at attention in front of her. In front of the knights stood their captain, who knelt before her with his head lowered.

"Your Highness, I bring you good news and bad news," announced the captain. The princess nodded.

"You may rise, Captain," she ordered calmly. The captain stood up and faced her. "I would like to hear the good news first."

"Reconstruction efforts have been completed in the Goron Mines, and we will soon begin in Kakariko Village," reported the captain. The princess smiled.

"I am very glad to hear that," she spoke. Her smile then faded. "But…?" The captain's features turned serious.

"There have been reports of monsters coming back to Hyrule Field," he testified. "More monsters than we had when Twilight was enveloping the country. Princess Zelda, with your permission, we would like to increase security around Castle Town."

"Permission granted, Captain," replied Zelda. "When did the monsters start appearing?"

"Within the past few days, Your Highness," he answered. Zelda thought for a few moments, then cringed in pain as she gingerly placed her hand on her chest. The pain disappeared as quickly as it came, and she shrugged it off. "Are you all right, Princess?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she lied. "Send letters to Renado and Darbus explaining the situation and to have them increase security around their territory, and send another one to King Ralis of the Zora to increase security at Lake Hylia. If they see any suspicious activity, have them send a messenger to me immediately. Also, send a letter to Link of Ordon and have him come to Hyrule Castle. The remaining guards that are not in Castle Town will be dispatched to assist the Eldin and Lanayru provinces however you see fit."

"Right away, Your Highness," said the captain. Zelda blinked a few times, her vision becoming blurry. Her body began to feel numb and weak. She looked at the back of her right hand and the Triforce of Wisdom was glowing weakly. As soon as the glowing stopped, her eyes closed and she lost consciousness. The captain quickly ran up to the princess and caught her before she fell down the stairs. "Your Highness! Princess Zelda! Wake up!"

"What do we do, Captain?" asked a soldier, a bit panicky. The captain scooped up the princess and glared at him.

"Don't just stand there!" boomed the captain. "Get the doctor!"

* * *

He walked alongside his good friend through the woods, the two of them telling jokes and laughing as they walked back to their village. A year ago, Hyrule was saved by the Chosen Hero, Link. When he came back to Ordon, he was sullen and rarely spoke, but after about a month, he began to recover, and before he knew it, he was back to his old self again. He continued to work at the ranch, though he decided to continue wearing his Hero garb, to remind him of his travels and adventures with his dear friend, Midna.

Link became closer friend with Rusl since they both played a part in Hyrule's salvation. Rusl was also able to call himself the proud father of his newborn baby girl, who was growing up before his eyes. When Link went on breaks, Rusl would join him for a walk in Faron Woods, not straying too far from the village. They told each other stories of their past adventures and about life in general.

As they walked past the Ordon Spring, Rusl noticed that Link wasn't walking next to him anymore. He turned around to see Link putting a hand on his chest and wincing in pain. The pain soon ceased and Link felt like his old self again, though confused. Rusl rushed over to his friend's side.

"Link, is everything all right?" he asked. Link nodded slightly.

"Yeah, just a sharp pain in my chest, though," he replied. "It's gone now. I think I'm working myself too hard."

"Ilia will have a field day with you if she hears you say that," chuckled Rusl.

"I'd never heard the end of it from her, and then she'd start accusing me of pushing Epona too hard, too," laughed Link.

"I wonder who she likes more: you or that horse," snickered Rusl. The two men started laughing and continuing their trek back to the village. Link suddenly stopped again, feeling dizzy and weak. Rusl stopped and turned around again, rushing to Link's side once more. Link looked at the back of his left hand. The Triforce of Courage began to glow weakly, then faded away. He felt his body falling as his world went black. Rusl quickly caught his unconscious friend and shook him lightly. "Link!? Link!!"

* * *

She sat on the edge of the fountain in the pouring rain, staring at the ground blankly. Her long, brown, wet hair stuck to her body as her soaked bangs hid her face. What were once a nice, light green skirt and halter-top were now tattered and muddy from her journey. Her brown sandals had also seen much better days. The people of Castle Town walked past her without acknowledging her, though she didn't care. The events of what had just happened raced through her mind, getting jumbled up into her other memories.

She heard footsteps against the wet stone road, then no longer felt the rain pounding against her aching body. She blinked a few times to snap out of whatever trance she was in, then saw a pair of shoes attached to striped socks, which were attached to a large woman holding an umbrella over her and herself. The woman smiled.

"You'll catch a cold if you stay out here in the rain without an umbrella," stated the woman. The younger woman looked up at the owner of the voice, her blue eyes starting to get some life back into them. The older woman smiled. "My name is Telma. I own a bar in the southern part of town. Why don't you come with me and we'll get you some dry clothes and a bed to sleep in?" The young woman slowly stood, but continued to look up at Telma.

"Liz," said the young woman. "My name is Liz." Telma smiled.

"Well, Liz, it's a pleasure to meet you," she greeted.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Epona trotted through Faron Woods with Rusl and Link riding on her back. Rusl had Link sitting up behind him using his back as a pillow. Rusl used one arm to hold Link's arms that were wrapped around his torso while his other hand was on Epona's reigns. The horse knew her master was unconscious, so she made care that he didn't fall off.

As they rode through the woods, Rusl closed his eyes, remembering what happened the evening before.

_"Mayor! Mayor Bo!" screamed Rusl as he ran through Ordon Village. Everyone stopped what they were doing when they heard the man shouting for the mayor. They knew something was wrong, especially when they saw that Rusl was carrying an unconscious Link. Bo ran out of his house, Ilia trailing behind him. The two of them ran to Rusl, shocked expressions on their faces._

_"Rusl, what happened!?" gasped Ilia. Rusl stopped to catch his breath, trying to calm down._

_"I'm not sure," answered Rusl. "Link and I were walking back to the village when he started complaining about a sharp pain in his chest that went away as quickly as it came. A few moments later, he passed out." Bo frowned, then checked Link's vitals._

_"Hmm…pulse is normal…breathing's fine…no fever…" mumbled the mayor. "You said a chest pain?" Rusl nodded. "He doesn't look like he's in any pain right now. Maybe he just needs to rest. He has been working hard lately."_

_"I'm afraid of taking him back to his house," admitted Rusl. "He's been living there alone for eight years now ever since his mother died." Ilia looked up at Bo._

_"He can stay in my bed," she offered. "I'll watch over him and make sure he's all right." Bo looked down at his daughter, then nodded._

_"That sounds like our best option right now," said Bo. "Bring him upstairs and let the boy rest." Rusl nodded and followed the mayor and Ilia inside of their house, carrying Link. They went up the stairs to Ilia's room and laid Link down on the bed. Ilia began to take off Link's boots and gloves. When she took off his left glove, she gasped in shock._

_"Father!" Ilia shouted. "Something's wrong!" Bo and Rusl quickly looked at her, then at Link, worried but also confused about why she shouted. Ilia lifted up Link's left hand, exposing the top of it. "Isn't he supposed to have a mark on his hand?" Rusl's eyes widened._

_"The mark of the Triforce…" breathed Rusl. "It's gone from his hand!"_

_"Do you think that's why he passed out?" asked Ilia shakily. Bo stared at Link's hand in shock for a few moments, then managed to compose himself._

_"Renado might know what to do," admitted the mayor. "Rusl, I want you to take Link to Kakariko Village to Renado's place as soon as possible. I'll send word to him to let him know you are coming."_

_"But Father, it's getting late," noted Ilia. "The forest isn't safe at night, and Rusl would have to fight for his life and Link's if something should happen." Bo frowned, then looked at Link._

_"You'll leave first thing in the morning then, Rusl," corrected the mayor. "Take Epona with you; you'll get there faster that way. All of Link's vitals are normal, so unless something changes overnight, he should be fine." Rusl nodded, then looked down at his friend._

_"Hang in there, Link," whispered Rusl. "We'll figure out what's wrong as soon as we can."_

Rusl looked over his shoulder at Link's sleeping form, then looked on ahead at the exit to Faron Woods, a determined look on his face. He urged Epona to keep going forward.

Telma led Liz back to her bar, making sure she didn't get any more soaked than she already was. Once they got inside, Telma had her take off her wet clothes and let her use her bathrobe. It was pretty big on Liz, but it was nice and warm. The girl sat down at one of the tables, staring at it blankly. Telma walked over with two mugs. She set one down in front of Liz while sitting down with her own.

"So tell me, Liz, where are you from?" asked Telma. Liz frowned.

"Far away," she said softly. "I highly doubt you've heard of it." Telma could tell Liz didn't want to talk further on the matter, so she dropped the issue. She sipped some of her coffee, then set it down gently on the table.

"What brings you to Hyrule?" questioned Telma.

"I'm not sure," admitted Liz, closing her eyes. "I can't really remember all of the details. All I know is that when I woke up, I was soaking wet, lying in a field. I spotted the castle and figured there was a town there, so I made my way there. I got chased by monsters a few times, but somehow I evaded them." Telma frowned.

"So what Auru told me is true," she uttered. Liz looked at her, completely confused. Telma noticed the lost look and cleared her throat. "You are in Hyrule, Honey; more specifically, South Castle Town, where my bar is. Over a year ago, our country was attacked and taken over by the Twilight Realm. But thanks to a young hero, Link, he rid the land of Twilight and saved all of Hyrule. He battled monsters, rescued friend and stranger alike, all out of the kindness of his heart, not asking for anything in return." Liz looked at Telma in awe as she listened to the story. Telma's expression became more serious as she went to the next part of her story. "A few days ago, monsters started showing up in Hyrule Field once more for an unknown reason. Also, our beloved Princess Zelda collapsed during a meeting with the captain and his soldiers and hasn't woken up yet."

"How long ago did she collapse?" interrogated Liz.

"Yesterday," answered Telma. Liz blinked.

"That's when I woke up in Hyrule Field," she breathed. Telma pondered for a few moments.

"You don't remember what you were doing before you woke up?"

"No."

"Do you remember anything from your past?"

"Yes."

"What is the last thing you remember?" grilled Telma. Liz closed her eyes again, thinking. She was silent for a few moments before she opened her eyes and spoke.

"I remember going to the docks with Dean," replied Liz. "Dean's my boyfriend. The next thing I knew, I was in the mud in Hyrule Field." Telma nodded, then studied Liz's features a bit more. She looked like a normal person, but more like someone from Ordon due to her curved ears. She knew there weren't any docks in Ordon, so Liz's story checked out on not being from Hyrule. She thought for a few more moments, then stood up.

"I'm going to have some of my friends come and see if there's something we can do to diffuse the situation," announced Telma. "I'm the leader of a resistance group that works to restore the kingdom of Hyrule. I'm sure they will all be very happy to meet you."

"Who are they?" asked Liz. Telma smiled.

"Auru, the one I was talking about earlier, used to be a tutor to Princess Zelda; Shad, a young man about your age, who is a fanatic about the Sky Kingdom and loves to study; Ashei, a woman from the mountains; Rusl, a swordsman from Ordon, and Link." Liz's began to shine in the lamplight.

"You mean I get to meet the Hero of Hyrule?" she asked excitedly. Telma nodded, smirked, then winked. Liz's smile grew wide, then faded. "I don't mean to get off-topic, but why did you ask me about what I was able to remember?" Telma walked behind the bar with her coffee mug.

"I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I think there might be a connection with your arrival and Princess Zelda's collapse," explained Telma. "Now, as far as what you will be doing…how old are you?"

"Twenty-one," answered Liz. Telma chuckled.

"Good, good, you're old enough to work here," announced Telma. "I'm afraid I can't pay you, but what I can do for you is offer you room and board here as well as finding you some clothes and shoes. How does that sound?" Liz stood up and nodded.

"Sounds great to me," she stated. "Telma, you've done so much for me, a complete stranger. Thank you so much." Telma laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Honey!" she exclaimed. "It's no problem at all."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times to clear his vision. He pushed himself up onto his feet and looked around. He didn't get a chance to really take in his surroundings before he heard footsteps approaching him. He turned to face the owner of those footsteps: Ganondorf.

"Well, well," started the Gerudo, "looks like you've finally awoken."

"Who are you?" asked the man. The Gerudo smirked.

"My name is Ganondorf," he replied. "And to answer any further questions, you are in what used to be known as the Gerudo Fortress in the desert that lies in the western part of Hyrule." The young man looked around once more, giving Ganondorf a chance to further study his appearance. The man appeared to be in his mid twenties, with short, dark brown hair to match his dark brown eyes, goatee and tanned skin. He was tall, around six foot, but also heavyset. Getting a better look at his eyes, he could tell this man was intelligent, yet cynical. He then noticed the man's rounded ears. "Tell me…are you from the other world?"

"I'm certainly not from Hyrule, if that's what you're asking," stated the man, turning his attention back to his host.

"Then how did you come about this country?" drilled Ganondorf.

"I was in the campus library, just browsing, when I stumbled upon a strange book in a language I had never seen before," explained the man. "I opened it up and I couldn't read a thing, but it felt like the words were speaking to me. I didn't see any markings showing that it belonged to the library, so I snuck it out and brought it back to my place where I could study it further. The next thing I knew, I was here." The man spied a book that was in Ganondorf's hand, his eyes widening. "That! That's the book I was looking at!"

"This one?" inquired Ganondorf, holding it up. The man nodded, causing Ganondorf to grin. "So you are the one that I should be thanking. When you opened that book, you caused the beginning of a trigger of events that will eventually lead me to obtaining the Triforce, a sacred relic of this land that grants the wishes of those who grasp it. The first event was my revival. You see, I horribly misjudged a young man that goes by the name of Link; he's the one who killed me. He also holds a part of the Triforce: the Triforce of Courage." Ganondorf held his right hand up, his mark glowing on the back of it. "I hold the Triforce of Power, and the ruler of this land, Princess Zelda, holds the Triforce of Wisdom."

"So if you get your hands on the other two pieces, your wish will come true?" interrogated the man. Ganondorf nodded. "What do you wish for?"

"Hyrule," stated Ganondorf. "I want Hyrule. You see, long ago, I was known as the king of the Gerudo, a desert-dwelling tribe consisting of only females, with one male being born every one hundred years. I was that male in that time. After I was defeated over a hundred years ago, sometime between then and when I returned to Hyrule from the Twilight Realm, the Gerudos vanished, leaving me completely alone. I knew the kingdom of Hyrule was behind it. Now I want the kingdom that took away mine." Ganondorf looked at the man, sensing something. "You, too, wish for something."

"For the longest time, I've had to go over the top to prove my worth, but I keep getting brushed aside," admitted the man. "I had few friends, but one of the ones that I had I met about two years ago. I soon fell in love with her, but she was with another man. She eventually left him, but around the same time she did, we got into an argument, and she suddenly didn't want to speak to me anymore. Soon, I started losing what few friends I had."

"So all you want is acceptance," resolved Ganondorf. He studied him further, then grinned slightly. "And you want power." The man smirked a bit.

"If I'm in a position of power, then all of those who rejected me would show me more respect and know that I'm not a worthless good-for-nothing like they think I am," boasted the man. Ganondorf laughed.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed. "You're just the man I'm looking for. You see, there are some others from your world that I know are here. Leave locating them to me; I'll find a way to bring them to our side. I will put you in charge of that group once it is formed. While I am forming that group for you, I need you to find the man I was talking about earlier: Link. Thanks to you, only half of the Triforce of Courage rests within him. He is weak and unable to do anything. Find him and bring him to me. It'll make getting the other half a lot easier, since the other half is destined to rest inside of one from your world."

"And the Triforce of Wisdom?" questioned the man.

"Half of the Triforce of Wisdom is also in another one from your world, leaving Princess Zelda weak, as well," explained Ganondorf. "However, she doesn't have the means of defeating me while Link does. I don't want to make the same mistake I did a year ago by underestimating him. Get him while he's down."

"How will I know it's him?" asked the man. Ganondorf walked over to him and took his right hand into his own. Both of their hands began to glow with a red aura, then the light died down. When the man looked at the back of his hand, the mark of the Triforce of Power was resonating on the back of his hand, though not as brightly as Ganondorf's did before.

"I have given you half of the Triforce of Power," announced the Gerudo. "I have enough power within me to sustain me and keep me strong. You now have magic powers within you to use at your disposal. You will know when and how to use them when the time comes. When this resonates, you will know that you are close by to a bearer. The man you seek is clad in green and wields a sword. Start your search in southern Hyrule, then work your way around starting in the east. Contact me when you have found him and I will give you further instructions." The man nodded.

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

He watched the doctor walk out of the princess' chambers. The old man placed a hand on the tiny doctor and looked down at him with a pleading look.

"Doctor Borville, is she going to be okay?" asked the man. Borville humphed and pulled his shoulder away from the man's hand.

"How should I know if I can't even figure out what the hell is wrong with her!?" snapped the doctor. "Your guess is as good as mine, Auru."

"Can I at least go in to see her?" pleaded Auru. Borville humphed again.

"I'm not her father, why are you asking me!?" spat the doctor. He then mumbled to himself and walked off. Auru frowned, then slowly walked into Zelda's room, where he saw the princess sleeping peacefully in her bed. He sat down at her bedside and watched her.

"I'm not her father, either, but I feel a sense of duty with her, since I was her tutor," Auru said to himself. A few moments later, his eyes widened slightly in surprise as he saw Zelda's eyes flutter open. She slowly sat up and looked around. She then looked at Auru, whose surprised look was melting into one of relief. "Princess Zelda, you're finally awake."

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked.

"Two days now," he admitted. "We couldn't figure out what was wrong. Doctor Borville just left, still unsure of how to diagnose you. Thankfully you have returned to us."

"Two days," said Zelda softly, frowning. "Auru, while I was asleep, the Goddesses spoke to me and told me of a prophecy long forgotten." Auru narrowed his eyes slightly, listening intently. "They said, 'When Power has died but is revived; when Wisdom sleeps, but then awakens; when Courage is lost, but then is found, the soul of Time and Destiny will be made known, and a war between Hyrule and foreigners will be waged.'"

"That sounds very confusing, but one thing is for certain," started Auru. "We are bound to fight another war soon." Zelda looked down at her right hand.

"Half of the Triforce of Wisdom is missing," she announced softly. "There is very little that I can do physically, but I can still lead my people and try to make some sense of the prophecy."

"I received a letter from Telma today," stated Auru. "The Resistance is getting back together to help defend Hyrule once more." Zelda smiled.

"Relay what I told you to them," she ordered. "If anyone can help make sense of this, your friend Shad might be able to help." Auru shook his head.

"His specialties lie with the City in the Sky," he admitted. "But he may know something."

"I will be fine once I get some rest," assured Zelda. "Please go to Telma." Auru nodded, then stood up and bowed to her before leaving. Once he was gone, Zelda looked at the back of her hand, then out her window, sighing.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Telma spent the morning showing Liz where everything was in the bar and how to work as a waitress. Around midday, the two started getting the back room prepared for the arrival of Telma's friends. Shortly after that, the two went shopping for supplies for the bar and clothes for Liz. It was early evening when they came back to open up the bar for the night. Telma put the supplies away while Liz got out of her old, tattered clothes into one of her new outfits.

As Telma put away the last bottle of red Hylian wine, the door opened. She turned to the door and smiled.  
"Hey there, Shad!" greeted the woman. The two walked towards each other and exchanged a hug. "You're the first one here, as usual."

"I live close by, so there should be no excuse for me to arrive late," noted Shad.

"Ashei, Auru, Rusl, and Link should be here soon," noted Telma. As if on cue, Ashei and Auru walked in through the door. "I must be psychic. Hey there, you two!"

"This is odd for me to be one of the first few here, yeah?" spoke Ashei.

"Good things do come out of dark times, apparently," chuckled Auru.

"Go make yourselves comfortable while we wait for the other two," announced Telma. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Liz enter the room. She wore a simple square-neck green dress with white, puffy sleeves, and her hair was pulled back into a half-up-half-down. "Before I forget, I have a new employee here. This is Liz. Liz, these are Auru, Ashei, and Shad, some of my friends that I was telling you about." Liz smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," greeted Liz. "Telma's told me nothing but good things about you."

"The pleasure is ours, Liz," replied Auru. Liz bowed lightly, then walked away from the group to the door. Auru turned to the group. "That reminds me…Princess Zelda has awoken."

"She has?" asked Telma. She then smiled. "That's a relief. That's one less problem out of the way. What was wrong with her?" Auru frowned.

"I'd rather wait until Rusl and Link arrived before I gave out the full details," he admitted. "It concerns the problems we've been having in Hyrule…and what we are about to face." A few moments later, Liz returned, handing Telma a letter.

"Telma, the postman came to deliver this to you," she said. "It's from Mayor Bo of Ordon Village." Telma frowned deeply, opening the letter.

"I have a bad feeling about this," she sighed. She read the letter, then her eyes widened slightly. "Oh no…"

"What is it?" asked Ashei. Telma faced the group with a serious look on her face.

"Link passed out a few days ago and hasn't woken up," addressed Telma. "Rusl has taken him to Kakariko Village to see Renado about finding out what's wrong with him. They won't be coming here right away." Auru frowned.

"If it is the same thing that happened with the Princess," he started, "he should probably be awake by now."

"But wouldn't they have sent a letter telling us so?" asked Shad. "I agree with Telma; I don't feel comfortable about this at all."

"What did happen with Princess Zelda?" questioned Ashei. Auru gestured for everyone to sit at the table in the back room. The group followed him and took a seat.

"You all know that Princess Zelda was blessed with the Triforce of Wisdom, correct?" asked Auru. Everyone nodded. "Half of it is missing. We don't know who has it, if anybody, or where it is. She also told me of a prophecy. Shad, she specifically asked for you to help try and figure out what exactly it means, although certain parts of it are straight forward." Shad nodded.

"I'll do my best," he replied. Auru nodded, then faced the group again.

"'When Power has died but is revived; when Wisdom sleeps, but then awakens; when Courage is lost, but then is found, the soul of Time and Destiny will be made known, and a war between Hyrule and foreigners will be waged.' That is what the prophecy states," he explained.

"Soul of Time and Destiny?" echoed Ashei. "That doesn't make any sense. And these foreigners…it could be the Twilight Realm, yeah?"

"It could be anyone outside of Hyrule," added Auru. "Any country, any realm…Anybody." Telma stood up and cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"We need to figure out who this soul is and who the enemy is," she announced.

"Um…" interrupted Liz. All eyes turned to her. "I think we should head to Kakariko Village, first." Auru frowned.

"You heard what was in the letter," he reminded. "Renado's going to be taking care of him." Liz shook her head.

"I think we should go," she reiterated. "I have a feeling something's happened." Telma cocked an eyebrow.

"How do you know that, Honey?" she interrogated. Liz looked down at her hands that were resting on the table, her left hand over her right.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Something's telling me that we need to go, that something's wrong."

"We don't even know you," blurted Ashei. "Why should we listen to you?"

"Ashei, please," hissed Auru. He turned to the rest of the group. "Personally, I agree that we should go to Kakariko, at least to inform Rusl and Link of the current situation." Everyone nodded. Telma glanced at Liz, then turned to Auru.

"I need to stay here and man the bar," she publicized. "I think you should bring Liz with you. She arrived in Hyrule the same day that Princess Zelda and Link collapsed, and I've had a hunch that her arrival might be connected to the larger picture."

"You think she's the foreign force?" asked Shad, a bit in shock. Telma laughed.

"Of course not, Honey!" she bellowed. "She doesn't seem like the kind of person capable to start wars. Besides, you'll need an extra person to help you, since Shad will be spending a majority of his time in Castle Town helping Princess Zelda solve the mystery of that prophecy."

"Can she even fight?" asked Ashei bluntly.

"My roommate's been teaching me how to use a sword with what she's learned in her classes," admitted Liz. "I'm nowhere near as good as she is, but I think I can get better with experience."

"Then it's settled," proclaimed Telma. "She, Auru, and Ashei will leave in the morning for Kakariko, with Auru in charge of the team. Auru, why don't you take Shad and Liz to the castle? Shad should meet with the princess about assisting her in the research, and Liz will probably be able to find herself a sword that she can use without difficulty while you're out."

"What does that leave me with?" asked Ashei. Telma grinned.

"You can do the dishes," she suggested, chuckling inwardly. Ashei made a face, then sighed, giving in.

* * *

Rusl pulled on Epona's reigns lightly, signaling for her to stop. He spotted what looked like a cloaked figure out in the distance, but in the darkness of the night, he wasn't entirely sure about what he was seeing. He tapped Epona's sides with his heels, making her slowly approach the figure. Rusl's eyes widened slightly once he saw that behind the cloaked figure were three boars, each with two Bulbins on their backs. Rusl drew his sword, knowing the danger that he and the unconscious Link were in.

"You do not wish to fight us, Sir," proclaimed the figure, a man.

"Let us pass, my friend needs help!" ordered Rusl. The man walked up to the horse and studied Link. He held his right hand up to him, then pulled is back, scowling.

"This boy is the one you call Link, right?" he asked. Rusl narrowed his eyes dangerously at the man. He then slammed his heels into Epona's sides, causing her to sprint past the man.

"Do what you want with the other one!" shouted the man. "Bring Link to me alive!" He watched the Bulbin riders attack Rusl, a horseback battle ensuing. He then looked down at his right hand, frowning again. He closed his eyes, receiving a telepathic message.

_"Have you located Link yet?" _asked Ganondorf.

_"I have, Lord Ganondorf," _started the man, _"But…the Triforce of Courage isn't inside of him. The whole thing is gone."_


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next morning came. Auru and Ashei waited outside of the East Gate. Ashei was tapping her foot, and with the metal of her boot hitting the ground of stone, it made a dull pang noise each time, which was starting to irritate the older man.

"Ashei, could you please stop that?" asked Auru. Ashei stopped, then sighed.

"We've been waiting here for over a half hour, yeah?" she stated. "What's taking her so long?"

"Telma is giving her the supplies that we'll be needing," explained Auru. "We don't know how long we're going to be gone or when we'll be able to get fresh food." Ashei nodded, then looked at the gate. A few moments later, Liz came running up to them. She wore a green, sleeveless tunic, brown, leather, fingerless gloves that cut off halfway between her shoulder and her elbow, and knee-high brown boots. Her hair was pulled back into a half up-half down again. Her sword was at her side and she was carrying a medium-sized bag.

"Sorry I'm late," apologized Liz. "I wasn't expecting that to take so long."

"That's okay," assured Auru. He glanced at Ashei. "We weren't waiting long. The important thing is that we've got the necessary supplies." Ashei and Liz nodded. "We'll take turns carrying the bag. Liz, you take the first shift, since you're already holding the bag." Liz nodded, then readjusted the bag on her shoulder. "We'll be heading southeast, since the entrance closest to Death Mountain is closed off for security reasons. If we keep a steady pace, we should be in Kakariko by nightfall." The girls nodded once again in understanding.

The three started their journey. Within the first hour, they were attacked by a couple Bulblins, but Ashei and Auru were able to fell them quickly. They walked another few hours before being attacked again—this time by some bulblin riders. Auru knocked the riders off of the Bullbos while Ashei and Liz finished off the riders. For each hour that they traveled, they were attacked at least once by two or three foes.

The hour of Twilight was approaching, and the three were getting close to their destination. Liz suddenly stopped, pointing ahead.

"Guys, there's something up ahead," she exclaimed. Auru looked in the direction of where Liz was pointing and saw a person lying on the ground. The three quickly ran to the person. Auru and Ashei quickened their pace once they recognized the man on the ground—it was Rusl! The three knelt next to him. Liz took out some water while Auru checked him over for any injuries. After he was given some water, Rusl slowly came to.

"Rusl, are you all right?" inquired Auru worriedly. Rusl looked around, then sat up in a panic.

"Link! Where is he!? Did you find him!?" asked Rusl. Auru frowned.

"All we found was you, my friend," he replied solemnly. Rusl frowned.

"I was taking Link to Kakariko to see Renado," he started, "when we were attacked by a bunch of Bulblin riders and a large man in a cloak. He was after Link, and he ordered his henchman to keep him alive." Liz looked down at her right hand.

"'When Courage is lost, but then is found...'" she uttered softly. She looked at the others as they looked at her. Auru furrowed his eyebrows.

"The prophecy," he spoke. "It looks like this has turned into a Search-and-Rescue mission, everyone. Rusl, did you see which direction they went in?" Rusl shook his head.

"I'm not sure," he replied. "They knocked me out, then left."

"We'd better get to Kakariko Village before the sun sets," ordered Auru. "We'll come up with a plan of action there." Everyone nodded, helped Rusl up, and walked on to the village.

* * *

He sat on a boulder in the cave, staring at the unconscious Link that lay before him on the ground. A few Bulblins stood guard at the mouth of the cave, while the remaining ones sharpened their weapons and checked the supplies that they had. The man ignored the monsters and focused his attention on Link.

"He's supposed to have only half of the Triforce of Courage in him," he muttered to himself. "Then why is the whole thing gone? It doesn't make any sense." He thought for a few moments, looked at the back of his right hand, then down at Link again. "I'll still deliver you to Ganondorf, and I'll find whoever is holding the Triforce of Courage. The sooner I do this, the sooner I'll get the power and respect that I deserve. Already Hyrule is shaping up to be a much better country to live in than Shuken ever was. If only those fools back home were able to see me now." He stopped his monologue for a moment when he saw his half of the Triforce of Power resonate weakly, then fade away. "That person is close by."

"Master!" screeched one of the Bulblins. The man perked his head up to look at the monster that came before him. "Four fighters enter town below." The man grinned.

"Excellent timing," he chuckled. "All right, everyone, listen up!" All of the monsters eyes were on their master. "Half of you are to remain here and watch Link! The rest of you will come with me to Kakariko Village! We will attack when they least expect it!" There were many cheers and cries for victory. The man assembled his best Bulblins and set off down Death Mountain Trail to the unsuspecting village.

* * *

Renado heard a knock at his door. He motioned for his daughter, Luda, to stay where she was, then walked to the door. He opened it a little bit and stuck his head out, then opened it all the way once he saw Auru and the others. He smiled lightly.

"Auru, Ashei, Rusl, what a pleasant surprise," greeted Renado. "What brings you here?"

"We'll explain everything inside," answered Auru, a serious look on his face. Renado nodded understandingly. He stepped out of the way to let the others in. He closed the door once everyone was inside. Luda looked up from what she was doing and noticed Rusl. She smiled and quickly went to him.

"Mr. Rusl, how's Colin doing?" she inquired. Rusl smiled.

"He's doing just fine, Luda," he replied. "He's at home now helping his mother out with his new baby sister." Rusl then turned to Renado. "We have a problem, my friend." Renado turned to face him. "Link passed out a few days ago and hasn't woken up since. The mark of the Triforce has disappeared from the back of his hand. I was bringing him to you when we were attacked. Our attackers, a group of Bulblins and a large man in a dark cloak, knocked me out and took Link somewhere."

"Did you say Bulblins?" asked Renado. Rusl nodded. Renado frowned. "There was a group of them that came through the village last night. It was dark, so I couldn't see very well who else was with them."

"Do you know where they went?" questioned Auru. Renado frowned.

"I'm afraid not," admitted the shaman. "We stayed inside, since we are unarmed. It's dangerous to go out at night. I would suggest that you all seek refuge in the inn for tonight and rest up."

"Thank you, Renado," thanked Auru.

* * *

After getting everyone adjusted in the inn, Renado stepped outside onto the patio. He put his hands on the railing and looked up at the full moon and starry sky. He sighed to himself, then looked to his left at the soldiers that were blockading the northern entrance to the village. He frowned then looked towards the top of Death Mountain, his thoughts drifting towards the Gorons, who left Kakariko to produce weapons at the request of Darbus, their patriarch. He then looked down at the ground.

"Hyrule is truly entering dark times once more," he sighed.

"Renado?" asked a female voice from behind. He turned around to be greeted by Liz's presence.

"Liz, what brings you out here?" asked the shaman worriedly.

"I have a letter from Telma to give to you," she replied, handing Renado a letter. "I wanted to wait for things to settle down before I delivered it." Renado nodded a thank you to her, then opened up the letter, reading it. He then sighed once more and put the note away in his robe.

"Honestly, that woman is relentless," moaned Renado. He then turned to face Liz. "Telma mentioned you in the letter, as well. You are willing to help Hyrule, even though you are not of this world?" Liz nodded.

"Yes," she replied. "You, Telma, Auru, and everyone else have shown me, a complete stranger, so much kindness and support. I want to return the favor. Besides…" She then walked up to the railing next to Renado, placing her hands on it and looking out at Eldin Spring. "I feel…connected to this land, somehow. I've never been here before, but it feels…familiar to me. I can't explain it, I'm not sure why I feel this way."

"You must have been brought to this land to serve a purpose, then," stated Renado. Liz turned to face Renado.

"Why me, though?" she inquired. "Why was I taken away from my friends, my family, and my home?"

"That, I'm not sure of," admitted Renado. He turned to face her, then studied her for a few moments, causing an awkward silence. "Your eyes…"

"My eyes?" echoed Liz. "What about them?"

"They look…familiar," breathed the shaman. A puzzled expression came across Liz's face. Her attention quickly went to the back of her right hand. Her eyes widened once she saw the Triforce of Courage glow on the back of her hand. Renado looked as well, his mouth slightly ajar. "The Triforce of Courage! It's inside of you!" Liz was at a loss of words. Her shock quickly faded away once she heard numerous footsteps fading into existence. She and Renado quickly turned to look at the entrance to Death Mountain Trail. They saw a group of Bulblins and a large, cloaked man. "We're under attack!" Liz looked at the back of her hand.

"Someone with a piece of the Triforce is nearby," she uttered. She then looked back at the ensuing fight. "Why did they have to attack at this ungodly hour of the night?"

"It doesn't matter," scolded Renado. "We need to alert the others!" Liz nodded, then followed Renado inside of the inn.


End file.
